Lollapalooza is set to welcome hundreds of thousands of people this week in Grant Park for the first time since the pandemic, and with the return of Chicago’s biggest music festival comes strict COVID-19 protocols.
Despite a rise in COVID-19 cases in Chicago and Illinois and growing concern about the Delta variant of the virus, city officials have insisted Lollapalooza will be safe and Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he’ll attend the festival himself.
Concert-goers will be required to present a COVID-19 vaccination card or a negative COVID-19 test at the entrances to the park at Michigan Avenue and Ida B. Wells Drive or at Columbus Drive and Monroe Street.
For people not fully vaccinated, a negative test result must be obtained within 72 hours of attending Lollapalooza, according to the festival’s website. Those individuals are also required to wear a face mask while at the festival. Masks will be provided at entry gates, guest services and medical tents.
The festival is asking people to comply with the Lollapalooza Fan Health Pledge, which asks patrons to not attend the festival if they have tested positive or been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within 14 days; if they’ve had a fever or any symptoms of COVID-19 within 48 hours of attending the festival; or if they have traveled to any foreign countries subject to travel or quarantine advisories due to COVID-19.
The festival will have increased hand sanitizer stations on-site and will have crews cleaning high-touch areas.
Other advice from the Chicago Department of Public Health includes staying away from crowds if you’re unvaccinated or at high risk for severe COVID-19; activating your wristband and registering for cashless transactions to make purchases at the festival; avoiding physical contact with those outside your party; washing or sanitizing your hands frequently; and limiting consumption of substances to ensure you follow safety measures.
The festival kicks off Thursday and wraps up Sunday.
